COME UP EMPTY Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

come up empty

phrase

Definition of come up empty

as in collapse

to be unsuccessful We searched for a viable candidate but came up empty.

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for come up empty

Phrase

Recent polling published by Die Zeit showed, however, that the party will fall short of winning an absolute majority in Saxony-Anhalt.

— Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
The result was former San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig earning enshrinement, while Belichick and the four others fell short of the necessary 80 percent vote threshold.

— Mike Sando, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of fall short

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come up

come up empty

comeuppance

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“Come up empty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/come%20up%20empty. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of come up empty

phrase

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